#the lavellans

[galadrieljones]

In the AU where Solas leaves and Sene hooks up with both Abelas and Ameridan does Revasan get to know this? How does he feel about it? How does he handle Ameridan (or how does Ameridan handle him?). Sort of not really related - does clan Lavellan purchase land in Orlais in this AU too? ❤️

Ah thank you for this ask! I have been thinking about this AU lately, as you may know lol.

Anyway, so this AU has actually two ending scenarios: in the first one, Sene goes back to Abelas, and the two reunite and stay together, eventually getting married and living together on the Lavellan farm in Ansburg. In the second AU, Sene does not go back to Abelas in time, and she is too late to make it work, so they are amicable, but they stay broken up. In this AU, I imagine that Sene goes back to being full-time Inquisitor, and she runs into Ameridan maybe like a year or so after they spend their night together in Last Call–when they are both invited to the Winter Palace for a party and dance. Their dance GREATLY pleases Empress Celene. Afterward, they decide that they have real feelings for each other, and that they will try to date. But that is all the further I’ve gotten on that. So…

Revasan with Abelas: Revasan would HIGHLY approve of Abelas as a partner for Sene IMMEDIATELY, and so would Deshanna. He is an ancient elf, hard-working, and he has a very strong talent for farming. His magic lends itself to water and animals, and this also benefits the farm. Abelas is a good partner to Sene, attentive, and kind. He is much simpler than Solas, and he does not carry guilt inside him, which makes him much easier to please and to figure out. He would look up to Revasan as a father figure and follow his teachings closely, without question. This would annoy Sene at times, but in the end, she would be very happy that the two are close, because it makes her life much easier. Sene and Ableas are also much closer in age than Sene and Solas or Sene and Ameridan (Abelas is only five years older than her). This also makes him immediately less objectionable than either of them.

Revasan with Ameridan: Ameridan is obviously much older than Sene. He is, in fact, Revasan’s exact same age. This is awkward at first, and though it probably wouldn’t bother Deshanna or Sene’s mother, it would really bother Revasan. He is in charge of his domain, and he would hold Ameridan at arm’s length and treat him with a kind of diplomatic suspicion for a long time. But Ameridan, being both diplomatic himself as well as fully aware of his age difference to Sene, would treat this suspicion with respect. He would not question it, nor would he enable it. He would just give it a great deal of time and allow his actions to speak in a natural way. Eventually, Revasan would see that Ameridan is an honorable man, and a brave warrior. He would appreciate his maturity and, as a scholar, come to be enchanted by his knowledge of the past. 

Per the farm: Yes! Clan Lavellan will always buy the land up in Orlais, making them Orlesian nobility. In the AU where Sene stays with Ameridan, I imagine them living in Orlais, near the Dales, where they would participate in a lot of practices to help restore and elevate the status and living conditions of both Dalish and city elves. Sene will end up a Marquise, regardless of her ending<3

[galadrieljones]

The Dead Season: Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Revasan

Solas is out of his element and transported directly to Lavellan Land, where the whiskey is smooth, the drugs are strong, and nothing is ever quite as it seems.

Excerpt:

“These primitive glyphs,” said Revasan, “drawings, like nothing I’ve ever seen, in total disrepair. It was just some fucking ruin. There are a million of them, just like it. Ar Lasa Mala Revas. And it was accompanied by a tale in pictures. It was the tale of a man who could remove the blood writing. He dressed as a wolf. Or, he came as a wolf. The translation was weird.”

“You speak ancient elven?” said Solas.

“A great deal,” said Revasan. “Don't you?”

“Of course. But it is a rare talent.”

“Morrigan speaks it as well. Perhaps it is not as rare a talent as you thought." Rev was squeezing his eyes shut.

"No, I'm rather certain it's rare," said Solas. "Just more likely that we keep rare company."

“Anyway," said Revasan, shaking his head. He had completely shredded that matchbook by now. The matches laid out on the table one by one. "As I was saying."

"Right."

(Keep Reading)

What if Solas changed his heart? What if he never left? Find out at AO3.

[galadrieljones]

The Dead Season: Chapter 57

Chapter 57: Oaths

Excerpt:

“You’ll man the grill,” said Rev, glancing his way. “Does that work for you?”

Solas nodded. “Certainly.”

“Are you the sort of man who can cook?”

"Am I the sort of man who can cook what?"

"You know what I mean."

“Cooking is just a component of math for me,” said Solas. “Therefore, yes."

“I hear you’re also an ancient elf and a mage of considerable power,” said Deshanna, point blank. He handed him a flute of champagne. “In addition to being a cook and a mathematician, of course. Is that true?”

Solas glanced around, but the room lacked all reaction. “It is.”

“Revasan told us this morning.”

“This morning?” said Solas. “How long have you all been awake?”

“Since like five,” said Terys. He was leaning back in his chair with his feet up on the table. He was peeling potatoes.

“Don’t look so miffed, Ser Solas,” said Ellas. “That’s just farmers.”

(Keep Reading at AO3)

What if Solas changed his heart? What if he never left? Find out at AO3.

[galadrieljones]

10 Facts About the Lavellans

Thanks for the tag, @thevikingwoman! I did the Lavellans, since this is where most of my character development is happening right now. This will be a mixture of stuff that TDS readers will recognize and also some new stuff, too. 

1. The Lavellans are not migratory and have not been for about 50 years. They are largely a clan of grain farmers, distillers, and liquor distributors, but they also have vintners and an artisanal winery. They are land rich with a considerable amount of capitol, per the distribution business. They run the majority of all legal liquor distribution from Wycome to the Stormlands of Ferelden and have recently moved into northern Orlais. They’ve held a substantial amount of influence both politically and financially in the Free Marches for many years.

2.The Lavellan clan Keeper, Deshanna, is a skilled businessman. In addition to their land holdings in Wycome, Highever, and Ghislain in Orlais, the Lavellans live on a walled compound of about 500 acres outside of Ansburg in the Free Marches. They have a sizable protective guard, including warriors trained by ex-Chevaliers, Inquisition soldiers, and a rotation of about twenty Templars negotiated off the Ansburg Chantry. Deshanna negotiated a partnership with the Chantry as a protective measure after the Kirkwall Rebellion.

3. Other than Solas, who is not Dalish, Sene’s clan has no mages--by marriage or by blood. This, in addition to the economical importance of the Lavellan Distillery and liquor distribution to the Free Marches, is mostly what Deshanna used to leverage his rotating Templar guard.

4. The Lavellans do a great deal of business with the Merchant’s Guild and are highly respected by surface dwarves. The Tethras family has worked with the Lavellan clan for years. Varric knew who Sene was before she even showed up at the Conclave.

5. Sene attended the Conclave to the full acknowledgement of all parties involved. She attended on spy capacity but was looked upon as an observer, i.e. many knew who she was. It was well-known at the time (and quietly disdained) that the Lavellans were making political and financial moves toward Ferelden.

6. The Lavellans are not a particularly religious clan, in terms of practice or worship. They are exceedingly liberal per their views of Elvhenan. They do take great measures to preserve Dalish culture, however, like following the order of the vallaslin and practicing self-sufficiency by training their own hunters, farmers, herbalists, and healers. They do business and hold protective alliances with many smaller Dalish clans in the Free Marches.

7. After purchasing a considerable amount of land outside of Ghislain, and with sponsorship from the Comte and Comtesse Berrande, as well as several other families in the Imperial Court, the Lavellans, in addition to each of their subsidiary clans, were elevated to noble status in Orlais in 9:45 Dragon. Theirs is the first noble family of elves in modern Thedosian history. 

8. When they visit Orlais, Solas and Sene are formally addressed as Marquis and Marquise. But they are still more widely storied as as the Tall Red Elf and her Warrior. Though their primary residence is in Crestwood, they own a small, private estate in Churneau.

9. In collaboration with Briala and the Imperial Court, the Lavellans and their subsidiary clans have a small team of diplomats whose sole job it is to both improve the plight of impoverished elves in Orlais, as well as to elevate other elven families of Orlais to a more fitting social status. This includes forging alliances with Orlesian Dalish clans and elevating clans who so desire. (*Note: In Thedas as I write it, only about half of all Dalish clans are migratory. Many clans are farmers or specialty merchants with significant land and real estate holdings who do consistent, even if grudging, business with humans.)

10. Terys Lavellan, Sene’s twenty-two-year-old cousin, in line to be clan Keeper after Sene’s father, is currently considered to be the highest born, most eligible elven bachelor in all Thedas. He still lives and works on the Lavellan compound in Ansburg as a business liaison to the Merchant’s Guild and has no plans to move to Orlais. Per Dalish tradition and Lavellan family values, neither Deshanna nor Terys’s immediate family will submit to arranged marriages, no matter how lucrative they might prove to be. The Lavellans hold very little noble pride outside of their political influence and what little time they actually spend in Orlais. In fact, they are so aloof and provincial by reputation, that even noble Orlesians are not entirely sure how to approach them.

I’ll tag @fadedforyou @elfsplaining @wrenbee @5ftgarden @hansaera @littleblue-eyedbird @whosafraidofthebigbaddreadwolf @priderising @thevikingwoman (for Branwen, or for your Lavellans, whichever would be most helpful), @asoulonfire @roguelioness @dragynfox and anyone who sees this!!  

[galadrieljones]

The Lavellans

Face claims and bios, as they appear in The Dead Season. The Lavellans are a massive, wealthy clan of grain farmers, vintners, and distillers from the Free Marches. Nicknamed the “booze elves” of Ansburg, they run a great deal of the liquor distribution from Wycome to Kirkwall to the Stormlands of Ferelden.

This is the inner circle. There is some...dysfunction. Lol. I included vallaslins, as well as heights for each, because they’re all pretty tall for elves.

Revasan Lavellan - Sene’s father. 40 years old. 6′2″ (188 cm). Vallaslin: Mythal. Clan Archivist. First to the Clan Keeper. Next living heir to the Lavellan estate. Brooding, stoic nightmare. Artistic™. Likes books and whiskey. Morrigan called him arrogant. Impulsive. Face claim: Luke Evans

Isene “Sene” Lavellan - 22 years old. 5′10″ (178 cm). Vallaslin: Mythal (removed). Daughter of Revasan and Rasha Lavellan. Lead Huntress. Oldest and only girl born to her generation. Crabby Inquisitor. Brings home the Dread Wolf (of course). Often pisses off the Keeper. Face claim: emblu (This is a model I discovered on Pinterest. I could not find her real name, but on Instagram, she is called emblu. This one took some serious hunting, but she is about as close as it gets to how I picture Sene.)

Rasha Lavellan - Sene’s mother. 40 years old. 5′9″ (175 cm). Vallaslin: Mythal. Bookkeeper. Cellar keeper. Peace keeper. Originally of the Atheran Clan of Highever, wiped out during the Fifth Blight. Calm. Former huntress. Hates confrontation, but do not talk business at the fucking dinner table. Face claim: a young Tess Harper (The only actress who could possibly fit the bill. Though she would have red, curly hair, much like Sene’s.)

Deshanna Lavellan - Sene’s great uncle. 64 years old. 6′4″ (193 cm). Vallaslin: Mythal. Clan Keeper. Patriarch. Businessman™. Handsome, intelligent assface. In charge of everything. Honorable. Listens only to Revasan and Fisara. Butts heads with Sene constantly. Face claim: Pierce Brosnan

Fisara Harajatishan Lavellan - Sene’s great aunt. 58 years old. 5′8″ (173 cm). Vallaslin: Sylaise. Second wife of Deshanna. Originally of the Harajatishan Clan of Wycome, absorbed by the Lavellans in 9:20 Dragon. Matriarch and tiger mother. Does not take shit, but really likes Sene. Face claim: Catherine Keener

Ellas Lavellan - Sene’s uncle. 38 years old. 5′10″ (178 cm). Vallaslin: Mythal. Younger brother of Revasan. Grain farmer. Hunter. Smart ass. Smiths his own weapons. Wears straw hats in summer. Canny af. Loquacious. Grows his own elfroot. Likes humans. Face claim: Travis Fimmel

Terys Lavellan - Sene’s cousin. 21 years old. 6′ (183 cm). Vallaslin: Mythal. Son of Ellas and Yara Lavellan. Grain farmer. Hunter. Likes elfroot, sunshine, and pretty girls. Extremely cute. Calls Sene “Ise.” Knows how to get the good shit. Friends with a lot of surface dwarves. Has major man crush on Solas. Face claim: Joshua Anthony Brand

Yara Blar’telahn Lavellan - Sene’s aunt. 39 years old. 5′6″ (168 cm). Vallaslin: Ghilan’nain. Apothecary. Originally of the Blar’telahn Clan of the Vinmarks, absorbed by the Lavellans in 9:19 Dragon. Nice and chill lady. Has a great garden. Super strong. Likes the cold. Face claim: Eva Green

@thevikingwoman

[galadrieljones]

The Dead Season: Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Lavellan Family Values

at AO3

Certain developments begin to take shape, for both Solas and Sene. Mythal ponders her purpose. Sene's father has many questions.

Excerpt: 

“Did you know about the land deal in Ferelden?” said Sene.

Her father blinked. “Excuse me?”

“Isene,” said her mother. Silverware clanking to porcelain. "We do not discuss business at the dinner table."

Sene gave her a look. To her mother’s left was Ellas, and next to him, Terys, Ellas’s son and Sene’s cousin, a hunter, and eighteen years old. Cassandra and Morrigan were on the other side of Sene, sharing a bottle of red wine between them. Every vallaslin at the table belonged to Mythal.

“Where is Deshanna,” said Sene. “I thought he was supposed to be here.”

“He had a headache from the trip,” said Rasha, biting into a carrot. “He sends his apologies.”

"Right,” said Sene. “A headache. This has nothing to do with the fact that he used my name to purchase four hundred acres of discount farmland in Highever and never told me. He must be working on his spin.”

“Sene,” said her father. “Save it.” (Keep Reading)

The Dead Season: Start from the Beginning

[galadrieljones]

What's Varric's nickname for Sene?

Oh, good question, redink. You know, I’ve never actually written this out. But  Varric most certainly calls her Princess. She doesn’t get it at first, because he probably doesn’t call her this until they become more comfortable as friends down the line, but once he starts up and she figures out WHY he calls her Princess, she is totally just like *rolls eyes*

Being from Kirkwall and associated with the Merchant’s Guild, Varric is extremely privy to the Lavellan clan and their reputation in the Free Marches. The Lavellans are a uniquely large and wealthy clan of vintners, grain farmers, and liquor distributors, so they most likely work with several Dwarven caravan companies to move their product throughout the region. According to Solas (pretty good source), the Lavellans run the entirety of liquor distribution from Wycome to Kirkwall (and more recently Highever in Ferelden) and are known for their diplomatic Keeper who is not a mage but a skilled businessman and negotiator.

I’m not totally sure, but probably Varric, or at the very least, House Tethras, has had dealings with the Lavellans in the past. The Lavellans run booze, so most merchant houses have. It’s likely that he recognized Sene’s name from the get-go, though he doesn’t let her know that for a while. He also would not have been surprised to learn that they were developing a small spy network to keep an eye on the political climate of Ferelden–a network that Sene would have most likely, in some form, headed up herself had she not been claimed by the Inquisition.

Sene’s immediate family currently holds the controlling share of the Lavellan family compound and distillery. The Lavellans are big and have absorbed many clans of farmers and vintners from around Thedas. These clans now bear the Lavellan name but not the blood ties (unless they marry in, like Sene’s mother). As the only girl of her age, and the oldest of her cousins, Sene is essentially the heiress to the Lavellan fortune. Hence, the nickname: Princess. I’ve said before that the Lavellans are sort of like a “class” of their own. I compare them a little to “mafia” elves–though what they do is not illegal, so in that case, the new elven “royalty.” Varric would have understood all of this.

Sorry for the long answer. Nothing for me is ever simple lol. @thevikingwoman per your interest. <3

[artistic-fuss]

Bloop

Feyan of Clan Lavellan, my canon Inquisitor for the Dragon Age series, came into his magic at the age of five. While his twin brother Covin came to his magic at eight.